Andrade’s
appearance is hosted by the League of Women Voters-Arlington Area, the UT
Arlington Women’s and
Gender Studies Program, and the UT Arlington Central Library. Andrade will speak about the importance of youth
participation in elections at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the UT Arlington
Central Library, in the Sixth Floor Parlor, 702 Planetarium Place. The event
will be followed by a buffet lunch.

Individuals
and groups interested in attending may purchase tickets for the buffet at www.lwvarlington-tx.org or contact the League at 817-472-5982. Tickets are
$25 per person, or $10 for students at the door.

UT
Arlington students may pick up a free ticket in advance from the Women’s and
Gender Studies Program, 223 University Hall, 601 S. Nedderman Drive. Call
817-272-3131 for more information.

The
first 15 students who arrive at the event will receive a backpack from the
League. The Secretary of State’s office is also bringing its traveling photo
booth so that attendees can make their mark on Texas by adding their picture to
the “I am Texas” digital flag. The current flag is displayed on the Vote Texas
page on Facebook.

"The
League is always eager to help young people get registered and informed,"
said Tonya Presley, president of the League of Women Voters-Arlington Area.
"Secretary Andrade's wonderful enthusiasm and vibrant personality will
serve to encourage both the youth and adults who come to be involved, and to
help others learn what they need to do to become active, informed,
participating citizens."

Young
adult voters are expected to have a significant impact at the polls, so too,
are women. But, women are still underrepresented at the polls, said Desiree
Henderson, director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program and associate
professor of English.

This
is particularly true in Texas, where a 2010 survey showed that less than 33
percent of women voted, Henderson said. This places Texas at the bottom of
national totals for female voter participation.

“I
believe that women have the ability to make significant political and social
change by participating in the political process,” Henderson said. “Secretary
Andrade is both an advocate for increased voter participation and an inspiring
civic leader, demonstrating what women can accomplish when they get involved.”

Andrade
was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry in 2008 and is Texas’ first Latina secretary
of state. Earlier this month, she was named co-chair of the National
Association of Secretaries of State’s International Relations Committee.

UT
Arlington’s Maverick Activities Center, 500 W. Nedderman Drive, will serve as
an early voting site Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. For more information on early
voting and the Nov. 6 elections, visit www.votetexas.gov.

The
League of Women Voters is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, which holds public
forums on issues of concern to the community and influences public policy through
education and advocacy. LWVAA's mission is to promote political responsibility
through informed and active participation of citizens in government. Membership
is open to all citizens of voting age.

The
University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of
nearly 33,500 students in the heart of North Texas. Visit www.uta.edu to
learn more.